Cassie Was Here

Bree's mom is busy with work. Her brother Reid is mad at her about his broken arm. Cassie is two years older, smokes (or says she does), and has a tattoo. The only person Bree can depend on is her old friend and playmate, Joey, who's trustworthy--but completely imaginary.

Cassie Was Here begins with Cassie talking Bree into a haircut and ends with the two of

Overview

Bree's mom is busy with work. Her brother Reid is mad at her about his broken arm. Cassie is two years older, smokes (or says she does), and has a tattoo. The only person Bree can depend on is her old friend and playmate, Joey, who's trustworthy--but completely imaginary.

Cassie Was Here begins with Cassie talking Bree into a haircut and ends with the two of them sneaking out at night to fix up an old dollhouse. Along the way both will learn about the unpredictable ways real friendships are made, and Bree will learn to need Joey a little less. Confident, funny, true-to-life, it's a story about being 11 and wanting to be 13; about friendship, family, and generosity; and about the awkward, tender transition from pre-teen to teen.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Hickey's debut book captures the shaky essence of what it's like for an 11-year-old to be shy and desperately lonely in a new town. Although Bree Mulaney has her 13-year-old brother, Reid, to keep her company, she still feels like a bump on a log most of the time, even when her imaginary friend, Joey comes out to play. When Cassie, a cool and pretty older girl shows up down the street, Bree sees an opportunity to convince her parents that she has a new friend (and can put their fears of her imaginary friendship to rest)—especially when Cassie offers to cut and highlight Bree's hair like hers. Trouble arises, however, when Cassie starts flirting with Reid instead of playing games with Bree, and Reid maliciously spills the beans about Joey after Bree catches Cassie and him smooching. Is Cassie really the user she appears to be? Will Bree ever find a real friend as loyal and trustworthy as Joey? Hickey's choice to use an imaginary friend to illustrate Bree's vulnerability is spot-on—ideal for revealing how scary it is to be alone in an unfamiliar place and how hard it can seem to make friends. Although Bree's mother comes across as a worrywart at times, her concern over Bree's overly active imagination feels genuine. The book is especially well suited to kids who have moved (or are planning to), but Bree's spunk and quirky behavior will endear her to even the most rooted of readers. Ages 9-12. (Apr.)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

VOYA - Alice F. Stern

Eleven-year-old Bree has just moved to a new town with her parents and older brother. School will not start until the fall, and a boring summer looms ahead. Without any friends, Bree depends on her imaginary friend, Joey, who is making her first appearance since Bree was in the first grade. Her parents want Bree to let Joey go and make some real friends, and her brother teases her about Joey. Bree begins to hang out with Cassie, a mercurial girl several years older who is visiting her grandmother under mysterious circumstances, and Anna, who is homebound with mono. Misunderstandings and jealousies ensue as Bree begins to mature and develop a little more self-confidence. First-time novelist Hickey creates a pleasant coming-of-age/slice-of-life novel. Most readers, though, will guess that by the end of the novel Bree will have outgrown Joey. That being the case, the journey to that point is not terribly compelling. Hickey uses very little imagery, which results in the novel having only a vague sense of place. Most characters are one-dimensional, particularly the adults. In fact, the eponymous Cassie is a far more interesting character than Bree, whose voice often sounds far more mature than she is. This read is decent enough for those younger preteen readers who do not demand too much; stronger readers may be disappointed.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7After moving to a new neighborhood, Bree Mulaney, 11, is lonely. Resorting to her old imaginary friend, Joey, causes disapproval from her parents and disdain from her older brother, Reid. When she meets 13-year-old Cassie, who smokes (she says), wears makeup, and has a tattoo, Bree is intrigued. Cassie is visiting her grandmother for the summer, although she tells Bree that she has gotten kicked out of her boarding school. The plot remains steady with enough happening to sustain interest as Bree eventually gives Joey up and Cassie's secrets become known. Hickey creates a true-to-life situation. However, while Bree clearly admits that having an imaginary friend is not normal for someone her age-that's she's just lonely and desperate for a friend-most readers will find her reliance on Joey improbable. Because of that, the book is likely to have limited appeal.D. Maria LaRoccoCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.